Approximately 65 million people are likely to be directly impacted by Hurricane Irene as the storm takes aim at the densely populated Eastern Seaboard. Evacuations are underway for high flood risk areas.

Mass transit cancellations, schedule changes and road/bridge closures are occurring throughout the storm warning areas. Please check with local news and Emergency Management Operations to determine the recommendations for your immediate area.

Please take a moment to remember a lot of FReepers are potentially in the path of this storm. Use common sense when posting. Please take a moment to review the graphics and links provided at the top of this thread before posting graphics. For large graphics--post only the link.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Little River Inlet North Carolina northward to Sandy Hook New Jersey...including the Pamlico...Albemarle...and Currituck sounds...Delaware Bay...and Chesapeake Bay south of Drum Point.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * north of Edisto Beach South Carolina to Little River Inlet * Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point northward and the tidal Potomac

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * north of Sandy Hook to the mouth of the Merrimack River Massachusetts...including New York City...Long Island...Long Island Sound...Block Island...Boston...Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket.

Max sustained winds 105 mph, 942mb Moving N at 14 mph

Hurricane force winds extend 90 miles from the center Tropical storm force winds extend 290 miles from the storm center

I’ll be joining other hams in providing communications support to our emergency management office this weekend. As an FYI, if you have a single side band short wave radio, here is the net activation announcement:

The Hurricane Watch Net has activated as rapidly developing Hurricane Irene makes its way through the gulf. The net is active on 14.325 MHz USB, information isavailable at http://www.hwn.org

Mandatory evacuations along the NJ coast began yesterday. Those on the barrier islands were to evacuate yesterday and those on the mainland are to evacuate starting today.

Orders are that no one is to go to the NJ coast.

The concern extends inland. I have first hand knowledge that senior citizens in Salem County, NJ (across the DE River from Wilmington, DE), are being called and urged to make ready as they may need to move further inland or report to a shelter.

Sussex County, DE has also received mandatory evacuation orders. Aircraft at Dover AFB will be relocated.

Thanks again for your hurricane survival tips and reminders... I’ve got a full tank of gas and the laundry is done! Will be sure to run dishwasher, etc. before the inevitable power outage, which “may last for awhile” according to our ‘RAT governor... :-(

Having driven through Katrina from Jackson to Beaumont, and sat in Houston through Rita after failing to get out of town due to gas shortages, please listen:

If you are in the likely path of this thing, GET OFF THE COMPUTER RIGHT NOW AND GO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!

Fill your gas tank, get some gallons of water, and if you have dependents get the hell out of town. The odds are you will be fine even if you sit it out, but the fact of the matter is that whole families were buried in the aftermath of Katrina. Entire households drowned.

Godspeed and go take care of storm business. Everything else is secondary right now.

The good news about this storm is that it looks like most of the east coast will be getting hit with winds from the western side of the storm. With the current northward trajectory, this means that the actual wind speeds will be somewhat less that the circulating speeds (105 predicted - forward storm speed). Still a very dangerous storm and no one should take it lightly. Any storm surge predictions? That is one massive storm!

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